Lore:Fourth Era Wars

Merethic Era — First Era — Second Era — Third Era — Fourth Era

The Great War

The following is a list of all known wars and conflicts during the Fourth Era.

The Accession War

4E 6

The Accession War, more commonly known as the Argonian Invasion was a war waged by the Argonian An-Xileel against the Dunmer Houses of Morrowind in the immediate aftermath of the Red Year of 4E 5. The invasion devastated much of southern and eastern Morrowind, including the capital city of Mournhold, and almost led to the complete destruction of House Telvanni and temporary occupation of much of Morrowind. The war would compound the ongoing alteration of the political dynamics of Morrowind and result in the solidification of House Redoran as the dominant power in Morrowind.

Night of Green Fire

4E 42

The Night of Green Fire occurred in 4E 42, when the Thalmor attacked Altmer dissident refugees who had fled persecution in Alinor and were living in the city of Sentinel, in Hammerfell. According to a Legion officer claiming to be an eyewitness, there was an explosion of magic in the refugee quarter, where Thalmor mages were attacking the Altmer dissidents who, in turn, were resisting with magic of their own. Running to the scene with other Legionaries who were stationed there, the eyewitness found the entire refugee quarter a smoking ruin, and that everyone had been slaughtered.

Umbriel Crisis

Umbriel

4E 48

The Umbriel Crisis was a war in 4E 48. The floating city of Umbriel, a fragment of Clavicus Vile's Fields of Regret, came from the south up through Black Marsh and southern Morrowind and into Cyrodiil. Several major cities were destroyed or besieged, culminating in an assault on the Imperial City

Major Battles

• Massacre at Lilmoth, 4E 48. Although the Argonians at Lilmoth were possessed, a number of plantations in the surrounding countryside fought against the horde of undead sea creatures resurrected by the city. They were all overrun and the defenders were also reanimated and joined the march.
  • The cities of Stormhold and Gideon soon fell to the undead army as Umbriel continued to head north.
• March Into Morrowind, 4E 48. A few Imperial Legion patrols in Morrowind attempted to slow the advance of the undead, but were all defeated and either fell back or joined the march.
• Siege of Cheydinhal, 4E 48. The undead advanced into Cyrodiil and overran the city of Cheydinhal. The defenders held the city for a long while but eventually they fell back on the Imperial City. The undead did not occupy the city so local people returned there afterwards.
• Siege of the Imperial City, 4E 48. The undead army advanced on the Imperial City in an effort to take control of the White-Gold Tower, causing mass panic among its citizens. The Imperial Legion attempted to hold the line along the Red Ring Road, but were ultimately driven back to the walls of the city. The Synod and the College of Whispers worked together to bring down the floating city, but also failed. Umbriel was eventually banished from Mundus by a group of heroes.

The Great War

Imperial Legion

The Great War, referred to as the First War Against the Empire by the Thalmor, was a war fought from 4E 171 to 175 between the Third Empire and the Third Aldmeri Dominion. The war consisted primarily of a Dominion invasion of Imperial territory, culminating in the capture of the Imperial City before its recapture by the Empire, and the war eventually ended with the Empire signing a punishing peace deal.

The Forsworn Rebellion

First Stage: 4E 174 - 4E 176
Second Stage: 4E 176 -

During the Great War in Cyrodiil, Imperial Legions stationed in Skyrim's region of the Reach and its capital, Markarth, were recalled to help repel the Aldmeri Dominion's invasion, leaving the eastern region vulnerable to its native population, known as Reachmen, who successfully revolted and created an independent kingdom.

To deal with the rebellion Jarl Hrolfdir, the father of future Jarl Igmund, called upon a Nordic militia led by Ulfric Stormcloak to retake the Reach from its native inhabitants with promises of freedom of religion. The uprising was ultimately quelled, but not without consequences. Despite the Empire's vows for free religion, the Thalmor discovered the worship of Talos taking place in Markarth, and demanded the arrest of Ulfric and the other members of the Nord militia. To honor the White-Gold Concordat and keep the peace with the Dominion, Hrolfdir was forced to comply to prevent any future invasions by the Aldmeri Dominion. One of the policies he was forced to agree to was the arrest of members affiliated with the Nord militia that helped overthrow the Forsworn. Hrolfdir helped arrest Ulfric and the other members of the militia to prevent another war with the Thalmor. In retaliation, Ulfric Stormcloak refused to observe the agreement and decided to allow the freedom to worship Talos himself when he became the new Jarl of Windhelm, sparking the future Stormcloak Rebellion.

Major Battles

• Battle of Markarth, 4E 174. Reachmen quickly breached Markarth's city gates and annexed the city. Years later, Jarl Hrolfdir, father of the future Jarl Igmund, was killed by the Forsworn.
• The Markarth Incident, 4E 176. Under the leadership of Ulfric Stormcloak, the Nordic militia retook Markarth while inflicting heavy casualties on the Reachmen rebels. When the independent kingdom of the Reach was overthrown, there were executions, including the deaths of some civilians of Markarth who were native members of the Reach. Surviving stragglers of the Reachmen continued to rebel, forming the Forsworn.

The Stormcloak Rebellion

4E 201 -

A battle between the Legion and the Stormcloaks

The Stormcloak Rebellion, also known as the Skyrim Civil War, was a civil war in Skyrim fought between the forces of the Empire, mobilized in western Skyrim, and the Stormcloak rebels of eastern Skyrim, in 4E 201.

Background

During the Great War between the 4th Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, Nordic legionaries were crucial to the Empire's survival, but this left the Reach undefended when the native Reachmen rebelled against the Nordic Occupation, and declared their independence. The Reach was relatively peaceful and fair in this time, and applied for status as an Imperial Province. Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak of Windhelm left his tutelage under the Greybeards to fight in the Great War, during which he would be captured by Elenwen and the Thalmor before escaping. Ulfric was tortured and led to believe information he had given up lead to the capture of the Imperial City, though it had already fallen and the information he gave up was considered inconsequential.

Ulfric later formed the Stormcloaks as a militia which successfully retook the Reach from the native inhabitants who had overthrown the Nords during the chaos of the Great War. This was done without official Imperial Sanction. Upon retaking the Reach, Ulfric Stormcloak demanded that the Imperials reinstate Talos worship which had been outlawed under the White-Gold Concordat that ended the Great War. At this time, the Empire was very lax about enforcing the ban on Talos worship, but Ulfric's demand brought unwanted attention to the worship in Skyrim. The Emperor felt forced by Thalmor agents to increase persecution of Talos worshipers to maintain the treaty. Unfortunately, this resulted in the perception that the Emperor and the Empire were weak and easily cowed by the Thalmor.

Soon after the High King of Skyrim died, and Ulfric used this incident to call a Moot to choose a new High King. The Moot is used mainly for when the King dies without an heir, which was not the case as the High King's son Torygg was set to inherit. Instead Ulfric wanted to use the opportunity to air his grievances against the Empire and rally the Jarls for Skyrim's independence. Ulfric traveled to the High King's court in Solitude, where Torygg was appointed High King by the Moot and aired his grievances with the Empire in terms 'just short of treason'. Torygg himself admired Ulfric and was sympathetic to his cause, but was surprised when he was challenged to a duel by him over his allegiance to the Empire. Even though he knew he could not best Ulfric in combat, he knew he could not retain his honor or legitimacy by denying him and accepted. Ulfric killed Torygg using the Thu'um, after which he stabbed the High King with his with a sword, and fled the city. He was branded a murderer and traitor by the Empire, thus creating the Skyrim Civil War.

The western portion of the Province remained under imperial control, with Torygg's wife Elisif the Fair taking the role of Queen of Solitude, supported by the Empire for High Queen. Despite Ulfric's role in retaking the Reach, Jarl Igmund of Markarth sided with the Empire, believing that the arrest of Ulfric and continued persecution of Talos worship was necessary to maintain peace with the Aldmeri Dominion. Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone remained allied with the Empire believing it to be in the best interests of the people of Morthal. In Falkreath the nobles pressured the aging Jarl Dengeir of Stuhn who was pro-Stormcloak into stepping down, replacing him with his nephew Siddgeir who sided with the Empire though he took little interest in politics. Whiterun was ostensibly neutral at the onset of the war, with Jarl Balgruuf the Greater both publicly forbidding the movement of Imperial or Stormcloak troops, but at the same time not engaging directly with either side and allowing them to move freely in his hold. Balgruuf was torn between conflicting loyalties to the Empire and Skyrim, he privately continued to worship Talos and allowed free worship of the God in his city, but felt that the true enemy remained the Aldmeri Dominion, and that the White-Gold Concordant was necessary to maintain peace. In the east the Stormcloaks held most of their support, with Ulfric maintaining his position as Jarl of Windhelm, the ancient capital of Skyrim. While most of Dawnstar held pro-Empire views, Jarl Skald was vehemently pro-Stormcloak and pledged his hold to the cause. Jarl Korir of Winterhold also sided with the Stormcloaks, as did Jarl Laila Law-Giver of Riften.

Summary

The Imperial Legion moved in to secure Imperial territory as the jarls began picking sides. The Legion went through several commanders until under General Tullius was brought in who managed to stabilize things on the Imperial side, instilling much faith amongst both his soldiers and Imperial citizenry. On the 15th of Last Seed, less than a year after the start of the conflict, Ulfric and his men were ambushed by the Legion outside Darkwater Crossing in southern Eastmarch. Among those captured was a horse-thief from Rorikstead, and the Last Dragonborn who was apprehended attempting to cross the border at Pale Pass from Cyrodiil. After surrendering, they traveled for two days until they arrived in Helgen for execution.

In a twist of fate, the village was suddenly attacked by the dragon Alduin, and the rebel leader escaped, signalling the return of dragons to Skyrim. This event took all sides unawares, the Empire, Stormcloaks, and Thalmor observers, and the ongoing civil war meant many cities and settlements were unable to commit resources to defending from the dragons. Afterwards, the war escalated, with Nords across Skyrim solidifying their allegiance to either the Empire or the Stormcloaks.

Jarl Balgruuf was the one to take the threat of the dragons most seriously, collaborating with the Last Dragonborn to defend his hold from the threat, and seek an end to their terror. The ongoing war however prevented the Dragonborn from capturing a Dragon in Whiterun so that they could pursue Alduin. A ceasefire may have been held by the Greybeards to put the war on hold to deal with the dragons at this time.

Both sides sought to increase the legitimacy of their claimant to the High King/Queen of Skyrim, and sought the Jagged Crown lost with High King Borgas in the First Era. It was discovered by both the Legion and Stormcloaks in Korvanjund, and the two sides skirmished in the ruin, with one side or the other succeeding in taking the crown, which saw the first shift of power in the ongoin stalemate.

Eventually Jarl Balgruuf was forced to end his neutrality and pick a side in the war, and when he did he ultimately sided with the Legion. The battle of Whiterun saw the Stormcloaks assaulting the major city, and the outcome of the battle would finally and decisively turn the war in favor of the victor. From there the victor would begin conquering many of the forts across Skyrim solidifying their control of the different holds of Skyrim before assaulting the home-city of the opposite side, either Solitude or Windhelm, ending the war.

The victor of the war is unknown.